RFCS-Projekt Fines2EAF

Cement-free brick production technology for the use of primary and secondary raw material fines in EAF steelmaking

Recent years have seen a world-wide change in the environmental policy towards integrated pollution prevention and control, taking into account all environmental media. It is estimated that steel-making activities in Europe produce about 80 million tonnes annually of by-products and waste, equivalent to half of the European steel production, of which more than 10 million tonnes is waste for disposal. This waste of resources and land area is not sustainable and has to be decreased in the future.
The Fines2EAF project aims to increase the value of steelmaking residues by internal recycling and (re)use in the form of cement-free bricks. The benefit of this strategy is threefold: improved utilization of residues, internal recovery of metals and reduction of the amount of dumped materials. Through demonstration by operational tests the technology of cement-free bricks could become more acceptable for the steel works.
The approach followed is the development of an innovative process to produce cement-free bricks on the basis of primary and secondary raw material fines, alternative binder systems and a hydraulic stamp press. The bricks have to possess sufficient cold compression strength for low-abrasion handling and, for self-reducing bricks, sufficient reduction behaviour and metallurgical performance. To achieve these goals the fundamental understanding of the bricks, their manufacturing and their subsequent use in the EAF is necessary.
Project activities will develop methods, processes and solutions for: